Material Handling Edge Blog 
 A blog for young professionals in the forklift, conveyor and general material handling industries.  

Well as you’ve all noticed by now, there are a lot of changes going on with the MHEDA publications. The new TMJ site is up and running (www.themhedajournal.org). My blog is going to continue for a few more weeks on the Edge site and then it will be moved to the new TMJ page (it’s already linked there).

With all the change going on, it’s important that we get your feedback on the new website so, if you don’t mind, take a minute to let me know what you think. Do you like the layout? Is it easy to post comments? Were you able to find everything you were looking for? We take your opinion seriously and if something’s not to your liking, we want to fix it. So please take a second to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at dan@datakey.org!

As an Ohio native, I’m not sure if I’m allowed to mention his name, but last week recently departed NBA superstar Lebron James and his new Miami Heat teammates Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh were introduced to their new city in an over-the-top celebration. As fans from the northeastern corner of my home state silently wept into their pillows, the party was on in South Beach.

So what does all of this have to do with material handling?

I’m glad you asked. When Wade and his new sidekicks hit the stage, they were lifted up from below, rising over the crowd. So how were they able to make this grand entrance? It was with the help of the material handling industry of course. Apparently a forklift hidden behind the stage lifted them up on a platform. Once again, your industry is the substance behind the spectacle.

Here’s a video of the entrance. Cleveland fans, you may want to hide your eyes.

<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/video?vid=dd795554-f70f-4803-8439-ab30891d89ae&#038;from=IV2_en-us_foxsports_articles" target="_new" title="Miami heats up with welcome party">Video: Miami heats up with welcome party</a>

I apologize for the lack of posting the last week or two, but it has been a super-busy period for the MHEDA editorial staff. As I mentioned last post, we’re preparing for the July 15 launch of the new The MHEDA Journal website. We’re in the homestretch now with a mere 7 days separating us from the launch. As of now, everything is coming together beautifully. Everyone in our editorial and production departments are hard at work making sure that the launch goes off without a hitch.

If you want to know all of the details regarding the new site, and what it will mean for you, head over to www.mhedaedge.org and check out the FINAL issue of the magazine.

For those of you wondering about the future of this blog with the Edge going away, fear not. It will continue to exist on the new TMJ site. I look forward to continuing to communicate with all of you in this new venue.

In the meantime, if you have any thoughts on what you would like to see us write about on the new site, don’t hesitate to let me know. I can be reached via e-mail at dan@datakey.org.

Hopefully, by now most of you have had the chance to read this month’s issue of the Edge. There’s a lot of good information in there for you! Also, as you might have noticed, there is some transition going on with the magazine. This is the last time a PDF version of the magazine will be published. We’ll still be producing much of the same content you’ve come to count on each month, but in a new format. Effective July 15, The MHEDA Journal (TMJ) is launching a brand-new, high-tech website and the Edge content will become a part of that entity.

The new TMJ site represents the evolution of business-to-business magazine technology. It is a flexible, interactive community that allows for real-time news posting and reader interaction. The new format will allow for the TMJ editorial staff to post articles and stories as they come in. No longer will you have to wait until the end of the month or even quarter to find out about the latest industry trends and best practices. You will have instant access to read and comment on these valuable stories.

In addition to being updated with new articles and news stories several times a week, social media will be fully integrated into the site. The Editors’ blogs will be on the site, with the most recent entries featured on the homepage. A live Twitter feed will show visitors everything that’s being said about the association and its publications. A comment section will be included with each article, with the most recent postings being highlighted on the homepage. There will be icons that allow visitors to easily share site content with e-mail contacts and social media followers. It’s all part of the site’s effort to be a vehicle for participation instead of merely the consumption of information.

The Centerpiece
The real power of the new TMJ site doesn’t lie in any flashy feature—though it boasts many. What makes the site truly extraordinary, and what has always made MHEDA publications stand out, is the input of the association membership. It’s the content that all of you provide, whether it be through granting an interview, appearing in a profile, writing an article or suggesting a topic, that will push the site over the top. It’s in that spirit that the entire Edge staff salutes you. It’s been an outstanding experience these last five years working with and for all of you. You have educated us on the industry and truly enabled us to make the magazine the best it can be. I would also like to thank the MHEDA Edge Advisory Board members for their outstanding service these last two years.

We are very much looking forward to the privilege of continuing to work with all of you as we complete this transition. If you have any questions or comments, or if you there is something you’d like to see us write about on the new site, don’t hesitate to let us know. Edge editor Dan Vest can be reached via e-mail at dan@MHEDAEdge.org or by phone at 315-445-2347.

Good afternoon everyone, It’s been a whirlwind week here at the MHEDA Edge offices. We’re less than a week away from publishing the next issue of the magazine. It’s a landmark issue for the Edge. Be sure to check out the “MHEDA Talks” section to find out what’s up. There’s a MAJOR announcement that will alter the future of the magazine and this blog.

Also in this article, you’ll find everything you need to know about using the Web to help grow your business. We’ll show you strategies for building a more effective online store and tips for using a Web browser as a user interface. Also, there is an in-depth feature on the new Modern Group website. We talked to the team responsible for taking the company’s site into the next generation. The trials and tribulations they went through will help you prepare for the next phase of your company’s digital existence.

The “Meet A Young Leader” feature this month profiles Jeremy Breed, a salesperson with Sunbelt Industrial Trucks. He joined the industry last year in the middle of the recession, but he has prospered in spite of it. Be sure to read up and find out how he did it.

The issue hits the Web July 1, be sure to check it out. After this month, the Edge will never be the same.

You know, I’m not really that old. Sure, I turn 26 next month, but that’s still relatively young. Every now and then, though, something comes along that makes me shake my fist like an old man and talk about the way things were “back in my day.”

Today was one of those times. I stumbled upon a YouTube video involving something called LEGO Mindstorms. Apparently, this high-tech toy comes with 600 pieces and a lego NXT micro-computer. They combine to allow the user to basically engineer his or her own fully functional LEGO robot. Well this kid in the video that I found built a forklift out of his kit. The truck can move, pick up items and then place them based on color. When I had a LEGO set, I built cabins with no doors or windows. Things sure have come a long way. By the time I have children, they’ll probably be building AS/RS systems out of Lincoln Logs.

Here’s the video.

I know I usually wait until Friday’s to post about the “lighter side” of material handling, but I came across something today that I didn’t feel like putting off. Apparently, today in Cincinnati, OH, there is an event called the LogisXGames taking place.

As its moniker suggests, the event is a contest made up of logistics-based events. Well, of course, I had to find out more, so I did some digging and I found this gem. It features video of the box put, pallet relay and what appears to be a dance-off. Enjoy!

Don't let this happen to your customers

Today is a dark day for college football fans in Southern California. For the past four years, the NCAA has been looking into possible transgressions committed by former USC Trojan running back Reggie Bush. Reports have been slowly leaking out and it appears that the NCAA is ready to bring the hammer down on the proud college football powerhouse.

The alleged violations center around a house that Bush’s parents lived in during his stay at USC. It was allegedly financed by an agent, which is a huge no-no for the NCAA. First reports are that sanctions against the program could include a forfeiture of all wins accumulated during the 2004 season (a 13-win, NCAA Championship season for the program), the loss of up to 20 scholarships over the next few seasons and a two-year ban from postseason play.

While harsh, it’s hard to argue that the sanctions aren’t deserved. The USC program violated the rules and it must be punished. Even if the coaching staff and athletic directors weren’t aware of the violations, they still occurred under their watch and thus they are accountable.

It’s a lesson that can be taken into any business, including material handling. A great example of this phenomenon is  OSHA violations. I’m not necessarily talking about violations committed by material handling distributors, but by their customers.

Often times companies can get cited for OSHA violations without even knowing one occurred. These citations often bring significant fines—an especially grim prospect considering the current financial markets.

As a distributor, it’s your job to be looking out for your customers. You have to find the violations that they miss. You’re the expert, you have to act like it. Keep a keen eye open when touring a customer or prospect’s facility. Can you imagine how grateful they will be if you find something and fix it, saving a fine and making their employees safer. Not only will you make money fixing the problem, but your customer will see you as an expert who has its best interest at heart.

We’re now just days away from what is arguably the biggest sporting event in the world—The FIFA World Cup.  Beginning June 11, 32 of the world’s top soccer nations will meet in South America for what’s sure to be one of the world’s most-watched sporting events of all time.
While Jozy Altidore, Wayne Rooney and all of the rest of the world’s star players will be getting all of the headlines, the material handling industry will be in the background helping move things forward. In fact, a recent press release that I came across states that there will be several JCB forklifts present at each of the six world cup venues. These “Teletruck” forklifts are 4×4 machines and will be used both inside and outside of the venues.

The trucks will be used for preparking hospitality suites, concession stands and other visitor facilities in and around the venues. The trucks were also used during the final construction and fit out phases of the construction of Soccer City, Johannesburg, the 94,000-seat stadium that will play host to the first and final games of the tournament. Other venues featuring the forklifts include Royal Bafokeng Stadium at Rustenburg, Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, the Durban Stadium and Green Point Stadium at Cape Town.

So when you’re watching all of the action, keep your eyes open. Who knows, you just might see your industry in action.

I don’t know how many of you keep up with wikiMHEDA but I am one of the editors for the site. My colleague Chris Powers and I update the wiki each day with the most interesting material handling-related news available.

Well, yesterday during my news gathering, I came across a news story that showed just how important lift truck maintenance truly is. On Tuesday, employees in a blueberry plant in Wilmington, North Carolina were forced to evacuate the premises after a mysterious gas permeated the plant, creating toxic air. In total, fifty people were taken to the hospital.

As local news station WECT 6 reported the cause wasn’t what you might have expected.

“At first, law enforcement officials believed an accidental mixing of chlorine and another substance, thought to be sodium hypoclorite, may have caused the asthmatic respiratory reactions among workers. That was not the case

HAZMAT workers were able to get into the building just after midnight and found the oxygen level in the building at zero.  Crews used hand held monitors to test two forklifts that were inside. One was found to be faulty due to incomplete combustion, which caused propane gas and carbon monoxide leakage.”

It’s astounding really. Fifty people were hospitalized because of a leaky forklift. That should NEVER happen. Obviously, I can’t say for certain, but it’s highly unlikely that all of the mandatory pre-operation checks were happening on these trucks. Also, they probably weren’t receiving regularly scheduled maintenance. If they were, maybe this could’ve been prevented.

Do you have a truck that needs repaired in your facility? Don’t put it off any longer. To find a certified technician from a MHEDA member company in your area, head over to www.wikimheda.org and check out the buyers directory.